Display apparatus



Feb. 27, 1940. F. a. WOOD 2,191,701

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 10, 1938 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1940. F. WOOD DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 10. 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR. We 7160a,

ATTORNEYS.

Feb.2 7, 1940. F. c. WOOD 2,191,701

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed May 10, 1938' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 18 INVEN TOR.

- F/ed C Wood,

' ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES DISPLAY APPARATUS Fred C.'Wood, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Mont-' gomery Ward & 00., Incorporated, Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 10, 1938, Serial No. 207,112

6 Claims.

'. g In carrying into efiect the present invention 'a novel form of supporting bracket is provided which is adapted to the wall construction referred to, and which, when combined with that construction, affords efficient and effective means for building up varying types of displays of the merchandise to be exhibited. This permits the articles so displayed to be grouped in diversified ways to which the nature and character of the articles will lend themselves, and enables the attainment of artistic and decorative results not ordinarily possible.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing the invention seeks to provide a supporting bracket that is so constructed as to be capable of expeditious application to and removal-from. its

applied position, and which, when so applied, may be locked securely in place.

The invention also has in view the provision of a supportingbracket that is capable of ready 7 adjustment with respect to its support, thus to permit shifting of the position of the bracket to adapt the same to varying conditions attending the creation of thedisplay. 1

Furthermore, the invention seeks to provide a supporting bracket having provision for association therewith of a variety of supporting ad juncts, whereby the utility of the same is extended.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

While the form of theinvention herein shown and described is a practical embodiment of the same, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to change, modification and varia- -tion without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. The present disclosure, therefore, is to be considered from theillustrative standpoint and not as imposing restriction or limitation on the invention. 'In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of .a supporting bracket constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in applied position;

Fig. 2 is a topplan view thereof, the support of the bracket being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a front elevationof the bracket; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bracket partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the bracket and its support, the former being shown in closed or engaging position;

Fig. 6 isa similar view, the bracket being illustrated in open position; v v I Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the bracket;

Fig. 8 is a detail cross-sectional view of the bracket arm and a wooden shelf sustained thereby, illustrating the fastening means between the bracket and the shelf;

Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the manner of supporting'a glass shelf;

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view illustratingthe adaptation of the bracket for the support and display of a plurality of hats;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an accessory bar showing its application ,to the supporting pilaster;

Fig. 12 is a rear view of one end of the accessory bar and the engaging head associated therewith;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an individual hat support and its engaging clip, illustrating the construction and manner of application of 0 y the latter to the accessory bar.

Fig. 15 is a section on the line l5l5, Fig. '7.

Fig. 16 is a similar view on the line I6--l6, Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a section on the line l1--|'l, Fig. '7. 4.5

Fig. 18 is a section onthe line l8l8, Fig. 17.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings; the numeral lfl'designates a pilaster of the construction such as illustrated and described in the copending application filed by me, and hereinbeforereferred to. This is generally of T-shaped configuration in horizontal crosssection and is provided with a pair of oppositelydisposed outwardly-projecting attaching flanges II. In the application referred to the pi1aster PATENT OFFICE Q pilasters, and the adjunctive devices associated therewith constitute display apparatus by which various articles, merchandise or otherwise, may be exhibited.

The numeral bracket in its entirety. It includes an elongated flattened arm M, which is of plate-like form,

which arm tapers from its front to its'rear end, 5

and at the latter the arm I4 is of relatively broad dimension.

At one side of the rear end of the arm M is located a rigid clamping jaw l5. This includes a forwardly-projecting attaching flange H5,

1 which is rigidly connected to the arm l4, preferof inwardly-extending engaging lugs 9.

ably by spot welding, and a supporting flange H which extends at right angles to the-attaching flange IS. A contact flange I8 is carried by the supporting flange H, the flange I'll being arranged at right angles to the flange I1, and said contact flange I8 is provided with a plurality Each of these engaging lugs is received by one of the slots I2 in the contiguous side of the pilaster l0, and. when so received the rigid clamping jaw l5 fits upon the pilaster H! in any position along the 1 length of the latter at which it is desired to locate the supporting bracket l3.

The jaw l5 has a cap plate 20 which is formed at the upper end of the supporting flange I! and is bent downwardly into horizontal position, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and .3.

It is apparent that the clamping jaw l5 and its component parts may be readily formed by stamping, the angular relation of the parts being attained by proper bending in the stamping operation. Thus, the rigid jaw l5 maybe produced at relatively small cost.

At the side of the inner end of the arm M, and disposed oppositely to the fixed clamping jaw I5, is a movable clamping jaw 2|. a counterpart of the fixed jaw I5. It includes an attaching flange 22 at right angles to which is arranged a supporting flange 23, and at right angles to the latter is a contact flange 24 provided with inwardly-extending engaging lugs 25. These lugs, as is the case with the engaging lugs l9, are designed to enter and be received by the slots l2 at the side of the pilaster ||l opposite to that with which the lugs l9 engage.

While the clamping jaw 2| is movable laterally relatively to the fixed clamping jaw IS, the attaching flange 22 serves its purpose as such through the medium of a sustaining slide 26. This is in the form of a relatively narrow elongated plate at one end of which is formed a plurality of positioning lugs 2'! that fit within slots 28 formed in the supporting flange 23, the sustaining slide being spot welded, or otherwise across the face of the supporting flange H to l3 designates the supporting- This is the edge thereof, when the jaws l5 and 2| are in closed position. At such end of the slide 25 its extremity is folded back to provide a supporting head 3| which is spaced from the body of the slide 26 and in which is formed an upwardlyinclined slot 32.

Within the space between the supporting head 3| and the body of the slide 25, is located a looking latch 33 which is mounted on a movable pivot 34, having the form of a headed-screw or rivet.

This movable pivot is received by the slot 32 so illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the locking position of the latch 33 is shown. In such position the latch-arm 35 is in horizontal position and bears against the attaching flange Hi. This prevents the movable jaw 2| moving away from the fixed jaw 15, and the engaging lugs H] and 25, therefore, will be held in the slots l'lof the pilaster HJ which they occupy, when the sup porting bracket is applied to the pilaster. To release the locking latch, and thereby permit the movable jaw 2| to be moved away from the fixed jaw l5, lifting pressure is appliedto theflnger tab 31 so as to move thepivot 34 to the upper end of the slot 32. In. such movement, due to the inclination of the slot 332, the: pivot 3% follows that inclination, and when it reacheethe top of the slot 32, the locking latch iiinay be turned to the position shown b-ydotted lines in Fig.3, in which position the members 35 and iiii are turned at right angles to the positions which they occupy when the latch is in the position illustrated by full lines in Fig. 3. This releases the end of the latch-arm 3 5 frorn its engagement with the face of the attaching flange l5, and

i when suflicient pressure has been applied to the movable jaw 2| it passes outwardly from its contact with the pilaster ill and thereby releases the engaging lugs 25 from the'slots |2 of the pilaster. Thereupon, the fixed jaw 15 may be released from its engagement with the slots l2 with which its fingers H), are engaged, and the supporting bracket either detached from the pilaster or adjusted to a new position thereon, as the conditions may require. H i

To assist-the movement of the movable jaw 2| with respect to the arm I4 of the support the forward edge of the flange Z2 is provided with a guide lug 33 that extends at. right angles to the flange 22 and passes through a slot 39 in the arm M. This guide lug 3B cooperates with the sustaining slide 26 in the movement of the movable jaw 2|.

It will be observed also that the jaw 2| is provided with a cap plate Ml, which is similar to the cap plate 2|].

At opposite sides of the upper edge of the arm [4 is'provided a pair of elongated shelf supports 4|. These are L-shaped in cross-section, the vertical flanges 42 thereof being suitably connected to the arm M, as by spot welding orequivalent fastening, while the horizontal flanges 43 project sufliciently away from the arm M- to support the-ends of the shelf members 44 thereon. As illustrated in Figs. .1 and 4, the shelf member is of wood. This is held in place upon the adjacent member 4| by a locking strip 45 secured across the end of the shelf 44,. and'held 70 individual merchandise supports.

in .place by screws '46, or their equivalent. The strip 45 has an ofl-set 41 by which its free edge is spaced from the underside of' theshelf 44 in order to receive the horizontal flange 43 of the 5 member 4|.

In Fig. 9 the shelf 48' is illustrated as formed- 16 associated with the supporting bracket l3, or

the series thereof that are employed-with the pilasters l0. One. of these is illustrated in Fig. '7 whichshows the adaptation of the support for sustaining garment hanging rods 52; In such. 20 adaptation the bar- 3 is provided at its forward end with oppositely-disposed receiving sockets 53 of semi-circular formation. Each of these sockets 53is provided with'a fastening lug .54 which is designed to enter an opening-55' formed in the rod 52, the latter being tubular, as shown,

to permit the opening 55 being punched or otherwise suitably formed in the shell of the tube.

The rods 52 employed with the modified form of the support, illustrated in Fig. '7 are used for sustaining the weight of suits of-clothes that may be hung upon the rods. Obviously, this necessitates the reinforcing and strengthening ofthe modified form of the'supporting bracket l3. To this end a bracing strut 56 is introduced into the a support structure. The forward end of this strut 56 is connected to spaced fastening clips 51, which are carried by the bar l3. The bracing "strut 56 is U-shaped in cross-section, being folded upon itself in 'a transverse direction, the rear end of 40 the strut 56 being suitably fastened to an anchoring plate58 that is carried by'the lower end of, the supporting flange ll of the rigid jaw l5. In the modified form shown in Fig. the rigid and movable jaws are of greater length than that shown in. the other views. ;The anchoring plate 58 fits within the fold of the strut 56 and is pro-1 vided with a slot 59 for receivingv a retaining screw 60 carried by a keeper 6| which spans the anchoring plate 58 and is slidable therealong The rear ends of the sides of the keeper 6| are spread apart to form receiving jaws 62' that embrace the forward edges of theattaching flanges l6 and 22,and when the keeper 6| is moved into such embracing relation with said flanges the lower end of the movable jaw is held in engagement with the lower end of the fixed jaw.

In Fig. 10 is illustrated an adjunctive support for the display of a plurality of hats. -'I'his comprises a flanged head 63 of right-angular formation, which head is attached to one, of the supporting flanges 4| of the-support l3, being held in engagement therewith by a screw or screws 64. The head 63 has connected thereto at spaced intervals a series of resilient sockets 65 that receive the ends of supporting bars 66. To'these by any suitable means.

In Fig. 11 there is illustrated an accessory bar 61 on which may be mounted variousforms of The bar 6"! corresponds generically to the supporting bracket l4. It may be mounted in supporting relation to a single pilaster, or it may extend between a pair of pilasters and be suitably connected to the accessory bar 61 to the pilaster it is provided at each of its ends with an engaging head 68 in the form of a flat plate having upper and lower engaging hooks69 and 10. The head 68 is also provided with reversely arranged guide clips ll 5: and "which engage respectively the upper and lower edges of the barB'l so as to slide therealong, and retain the engaging head 63 against displacement from the bar. As a further means of holding the head 68 on the end of the bar 61 1.0. the head 68 is provided with a longitudinal slot 13 in which is fittedakheaded fastening M which is carried by the bar.6'|. ,The slot 13 will limit the sliding movement of the head 68 on the bar 6'! as the ends of the slot contact the headed fas- 15..

tening l4. Y

At the front face of the bar 61 is arranged a pricingjcard retainer I5 formed at its upper and lower edges With' reversely arranged retaining flanges 16. The price cards may be placed within these flangesand held thereby on the retainer 15.

yAs instancing'the use of the accessory bar 6'! for the attachment of individual display supports, reference is made to Fig. 14.. In this figure is disclosed a support for the display of a single hat. It comprises a supporting head ll carried by a standard 78, the head ll preferably being screw threaded toth'e standard 18 for detachment therefrom or substitution of another form of supporting head, while said standard 18 is connected at its opposite end to an attaching clip 19. This is preferably formed. of sheet metal of relatively heavy gauge that has an open-sided rectangular guide-head that is designed to fit overthe upper edge of the accessory bar 51 and to be slidable along said upper edge. To permit application of the individual displaybracke't to the accessory bar 61, and its removal therefrom, theupper flange 16 of the pricing card retainer 15 is notched at appropriate points, as at 8|, and .0 this will permit the body of the fastening clip 19, when'opposite any one of these notches 8!, to

be moved transversely of the bar Bl, either upwardly or downwardly, and thereby enable the fastening clip 19 to enter or be removed from the 1. space between the flanges 76 of the pricing card retainer 15. Y

I It will be, observed that the'body fastening clip is folded back-upon itself at'its lower edge and thereby provides a locking rib 82 at the inner 91 face of the clip. This locking rib is of such width that, by its contact with the upper flange 16 of the retainer l5, it will prevent displacement of the fasteningclip 19 until they locking rib is opposite one of the notches 8|. When so .5. positioned the clip l9 may be moved vertically from the retainer 115, and the individual display support thereupon may be released from its engagement with the accessory bar 61.

In the application of the accessory bar '61 to 0,.

th'e-pilasters ID, the bar'is placed between a pair of the pilasters, the hooks 69 and 1!! of the head 68 at one end of the bar being inserted into a pair .ofthe slots H of the adjacent pilaster and engaged'with the ends of the slots. site engaging head 68 then may be slid along the bar Ii! so that its hooks 69 and 10 may enter a pairof the slots i2 in the opposite pilaster, whereupon these hooks are'engaged with the endsof the. last mentioned slots. In this manner the 0.. bar 61 is held in supporting position. It' will be understood that various forms of individual display supports may be employed with the accessory bar 61, the hat support shown in Fig-.14: beingonlyone example and serving asan 75.,

The oppol illustration. Shoe brackets, tennis racket sup-' ports, and various other types may be used, it being only necessary to equip each of the same with the attaching clip 19 to enable their use with the bar 61. Thus, the range of utility of the latter may be greatly extended. I claim: 1. In display apparatus of the type described, the combination with a supporting element having a plurality of openings in its opposite sides,

of a supporting bracket mounted on said sup porting element and projecting outwardly'therefrom, a fixed clamping jaw connected to said supporting bracket at one of its sides, a movable clamping jaw associated with said supporting bracket at its opposite side, said fixed and movjaw and engageable with the fixed clamping jaw in the closed position of the movable jaw thereon, whereby to maintain the supporting bracket in locked relation to the supporting element.

2. In display apparatus of the class described, the combination with a supporting element having a plurality of openings in its opposite sides,

of a supporting bracket mounted on said supporting element and projecting outwardly therefrom, a fixed clamping jaw connected to said supporting bracket at one of its sides, a movable clamping jaw associated with said supporting bracket at its opposite side, said fixed and movable clamping jaws provided with means for engaging the openings in the opposite sides of'said supporting element to connect the supporting bracket to the latter, a sustaining slide fixedly connected to the movable clamping jaw and passing freely through the fixed clamping jaw, a pivoted locking latch carried by the sustaining slide in advance of the fixed clamping jaw and engageable with the fixed clamping jaw in the closed position of the movable clamping jaw thereon, whereby to maintain the supporting bracket in locked relation to the supporting element, and a guide lug carried by the movable clamping jaw and engaging an opening in the supporting bracket, said guide lug cooperating with the sustaining slide in the movement of the movable jaw.

3. In display apparatus of the class described, the combination with a supporting element having a plurality of openings in its opposite sides, of a supporting bracket mounted on said supporting element and projecting outwardly therefrom, a fixed clamping jaw connected to said supporting bracket at one of its sides and including a supporting flange and a contact flange disposed in angular relation to said fixed clamplatch carried by the sustaining slide in advance of the supporting flange of the fixed clamping jaw and engageable with the fixed clamping jaw in the closed position of the movable clamping jaw thereon, whereby to maintain the support! ing bracket in locked relation to the supporting element.

4. In display apparatus of the class described, the combination with a supporting element having a plurality of openings in its opposite sides, of a supporting bracket mounted on said supporting element and projecting outwardly therefrom, a fixed clamping jaw connected to said supporting bracket at one of its sides and in cluding a supporting flange and a contact flange disposed in angular relation to said fixed clamping jaw and to each other, amovable clamping jaw associated with said supporting bracket at its opposite side and also including a supporting.

flange and a contact flange disposed in'angular relation to said movable clamping jaw and to each other, said fixed and movable clamping jaws provided with meansfor engaging the openings in the opposite sides of' said supporting element to connect the supporting bracket to the latter, a sustaining slide fixedly connected to the movable clamping jaw and passing freely through the fixed clamping jaw, a pivoted locking latch carried by the sustaining slide in advances v of the supporting flangeof the fixed clamping jaw and engageable with the fixed clamping jaw in the closed position of the movable clamping jaw thereon, whereby to maintain the support-' ing bracket in locked relation to the supporting element, and a guide lug carried by the movable clamping jaw and engaging an opening in the supporting bracket, said guide lug cooperating with the sustaining slide in the movement of' the movable jaw. I I

5. ,In display apparatus of theclass described, the combination with a supporting'element having a plurality of openings in its opposite sides,

of a supporting bracket mounted on said supporting element and projecting outwardly therefrom, a fixed clamping jaw connected to said supporting bracket at one of its sides, a movable clamping jaw associated with said supporting bracket at its opposite side, said fixed and movable clamping jaws provided with means for engaging the openings inthe opposite sides of said supporting element to connect the supporting bracket to the latter, a sustaining slide fixedly connected to the movable clamping jaw and passing freely through the fixed clamping jaw, the extremity of said slide being rebent to form a supporting head, and a locking latch pivotally-- mounted loosely in said supporting head and engageable with the fixed clamping jawin; the

thereon whereby to maintain the supporting bracket in locked relation to the supporting element.

6. In display apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a supporting'element havsupporting bracket at one of its sides, a movable clamping jaw associated with said supporting bracket atits opposite side, said fixed and movable clamping jaws provided with means for en- 'closed position of the movable clamping jaw gaging the openings in the opposite sides of said supporting element to connect the supporting bracket to the latter, a sustaining slide 'fixedly' ing freely through the fixed clampinggiaw,the

extremity of said slide beingtrebent to form a supporting head, a locking latch including a latch arm and a trigger arm extending at substantiallyri-ght angles to each other, a pivot for said locking latch, thesupporting head having conne'cted-to the movable clamping jaw and passpivot, whereby one position of saidlockingv latch the latch arm is adaptedto engage the fixed clamping jaw to hold the movable clamping jaw in locked relationthereto, and in the reverse position of the locking latch the latch arm is released from engagement with the fixed clamping jaw.

FRED C. WOOD. 

